


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS
Issued by NWS Wichita, KS
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007 FXUS63 KICT 081724 AFDICT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 1224 PM CDT Wed Oct 8 2025 ...Updated Aviation Discussion... .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated showers and storms possible Thursday morning - Warming trend begins today through the weekend && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 251 AM CDT Wed Oct 8 2025 As of 3 AM Wednesday morning, midlevel ridging was advancing from the western US into the Plains. An expansive area of surface high pressure resides from central KS through MN. On the western periphery of the high pressure, southerly low-level flow has return to the High Plains. VAD wind profiles across the High Plains reveal profiles between 850mb and 700mb. Residual moisture within this layer is yielding widespread stratus across western KS. As the surface high pressure advances east of the area, this stratus deck will overspread most of central and south-central KS later today. The increased cloud cover will hold temperatures in the 60s to near 70s. Southeast KS will see the most sunshine this afternoon and will see temperatures surge into the mid/upper 70s. Transitioning into tonight, a modest LLJ (30-35 kt) will develop across western KS. As the night progresses, the LLJ will veer from south to north, to southwest to northeast. This will contribute to a LLJ convergence zone across portions of central/south-central KS, mainly after 3 AM. RAP/HRRR/NAM/ECMWF forecast soundings reveal steepening lapses rates above the aforementioned stratus deck with upwards of 1000 J/kg of elevated instability possible. Modest acceleration of the wind profile from 2-6 km will contribute to 20- 30 kt of effective shear. All of that to say, isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible late tonight into Thursday morning. The combination of instability and shear may support hail near quarter size with the strongest storms. The midlevel ridge axis will slide overhead for Friday and Saturday, returning afternoon temperatures into the low/mid 80s. The ridge will begin to shift east late Saturday into Sunday as a western US trough approaches the Plains. This trough will contribute to the deepening of a lee surface trough across the High Plains. The tightening surface pressure gradient will lead to southerly wind gusts near 30-35 MPH Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The strongest gusts are expected across central KS. The surface trough will progress through the state Monday. Not only will cooler temperatures arrive behind the front but shower and storm chances will return as well (20-30%). && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1220 PM CDT Wed Oct 8 2025 VFR conditions are expected to prevail to over the next 24 hours. Broken to overcast mid-level clouds are overspreading much of the area with ceilings around 6-10 kft. This cloud cover is expected to linger across the area throughout much of the TAF period, but will gradually clear out from west to east during the day on Thursday. Winds at the surface are out of the east and southeast and will gradually shift to more southerly throughout the next 24 hours. Wind speeds will generally remain between 5 and 15 knots. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...BRF AVIATION...JC